The entire Wizarding Britain had been plunged into an unbelievable shock as the morning newspapers reached most of the houses.
Every paper across the magical world carried the same story, the same images just in different words.
The Magical Times, under the orders of Lord Charlus Potter, had allowed any publishing house to use the photographs captured by his reporter, along with the interview from Edmund Bones, free of charge.
Even if he had demanded a hefty price, no one would have hesitated to pay it. But this act stood as an example, a clear proof of how far Lord Potter was willing to go in his crusade against the Death Eaters.
An unprecedented Attack on Bones Manor. Heroic response from Lord Edmund Bones. 8 Death Eaters Killed.
Beneath the headline was a large photograph of a severed head, the base of the neck blurred slightly. It was Reinhart Lestrange.
More than two dozen other photographs were spread throughout the paper, showing the dead bodies of every Death Eater who had taken part in the attack.
Two of them, whose heads had been blasted beyond recognition, could not even be identified.
The news report read:
In an unbelievable turn of events, eight Death Eaters had attacked the Bones Manor, last night. Verified sources reported that, at the time of the assault, Lord Edmund Bones and his daughter, Amelia Bones, an auror in the Ministry of Magic were present in the house.
The attack was clearly intended to kill Lord Bones and his daughter. This is an unprecedented event. The Bones family is an influential and powerful family in the Wizarding Britain. Families who rank above them in status and influence can be counted on fingertips. And this is an attack which has shaken everyone to their core. It is not something that could be taken lightly.
If the whispers circulating are to be believed, the strike had been launched against Lord Bones because of his openly aggressive stance against the Death Eaters and their ideology. It was seen as a message to all who dared oppose them. Either fall silent or face death.
"They say they are doing all this for the sake of pure bloods. Really? Then have I suddenly turned into a half-blood? Or a Muggle born? Just because I opposed their ideology, just because I asked them to stop their killings, they attempted to murder me. I know my words will not change their minds. But I ask all those who believe these people are fighting for pure blood. Open your eyes. See the truth. I too am pure blood. Did that matter to them? No. What they care about is power. Anyone who disagrees with them will be removed. I am merely the first target. More such attacks will follow."
An excerpt from Lord Bones' interview. Read page 3 for the entire interview.
Even after the attack, though visibly shaken, Lord Edmund Bones declared that he would not compromise on his beliefs.
In fact, he took this incident as further motivation. Despite being cornered, despite being outnumbered, he had emerged alive and every Death Eater lay dead. He proclaimed that this was a sign from magic itself that he was walking the correct path.
"It is fate. It is magic. Eight against two. I am skilled, but without the support of magic itself, I could never have succeeded. Even after everything happened, I could not believe I was capable of such a feat. It felt as though everything I did happened on its own as if magic was listening to me, bending itself to my will."
An excerpt from Lord Bones' interview. Read page 3 for the entire interview.
What does this attack mean? Has the Ministry turned incompetent? At present, the Ministry has no answers. The minister of magic is silent and has no words to speak.
When questioned on whether they had launched any sort of hunt to uncover the true mastermind behind the assault, their response was silence. They do not even know what action should they take. What move have they to make.
Will this attack, like so many others before it, simply be buried under the carpet? Will every individual be forced to fight their battles alone? Let us not forget that only yesterday, Lord Antonio Olario faced trial in the Wizengamot for killing two Death Eaters. If this is the Ministry's response, this inaction, was Lord Olario not right to question whether he should have stood idle and allowed the Death Eaters to slaughter him?
The Minister of Magic must answer. The Ministry must act. Matters are spiralling out of control. And if the Minister of Magic is truly incompetent to full fill his duty, then he must resign and allow someone capable to take his place.
Antonio had just set down his copy of The Magical Times when a sharp, impatient pounding rattled his doors. He did not need to be a genius to know who it was.
"Olario!" Bellatrix stormed into his house the moment he opened the gate. "Did you read the news?"
She was clutching a newspaper in her hands, an expression of disbelief carved across her face.
"The Bones Manor was attacked," she said, her tone slightly tense. "If they could strike directly at Bones Manor, at Lord Edmund Bones himself, then what Lord is truly safe?"
"Even my grandfather seemed so tense in the morning," she added, collapsing onto the sofa.
"Relax," Antonio said as he sat down close beside her. "Lord Edmund Bones emerged unscathed from it, did he not?"
Bellatrix leaned closer, resting her head on his shoulder.
"Yes," she mumbled, "but he claims it was magic itself that saved him."
"Might be," Antonio muttered with a mischievous smile.
Then something clicked in Bellatrix's mind. She turned sharply toward him.
"You," she snapped. "Where were you last night?"
"Sleeping in my house," he replied evenly, though her eyes continued to bore into him.
Antonio only shook his head in amusement. She had understood, but he offered no confirmation. Some things were better left unsaid.
"You are truly so powerful, Olario," she murmured dreamily. "You even mastered that golem spell. I cannot manage even a small water golem."
"Want to learn?" Antonio asked.
Bellatrix's eyes lit up. "Yes."
"Then take us to your training ground," he whispered.
Before he could process it, Bellatrix had nearly thrown herself onto him and in the next instant, both of them vanished from the spot.
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